Video games enthusiasts may have something to look forward to in the next few years, as Weston Ranches High School Esports team has been undergoing some changes recently. The team has been exploring the possibilities of becoming a club, a class, or a sport, with Ms. Hunter (Rebecca Hunter) presenting this topic at the Fall CUE held at Teacher’s College of San Joaquin at the San Joaquin County office of Education on October 21-22.

Esports is not just about playing video games, but it also has a potential to shape the future of the students who participate in it. This was the main theme of the presentations that Ms. Hunter and several others gave at the Fall CUE event. Some of the speakers included James Wood (NASEF and CIF Commissioner) and representatives from LeGrand High School and Ripon High School. The sessions covered topics such as Esports 101 Questions & Answers, Esports: Club, Sport, or Class, and Student Perspectives on Scholastic Esports. Ms. Hunter, a math teacher at WRHS, explained that Esports could be any or all of these three options, depending on the goals and preferences of the students and the school. She said, “A club is just that…a club. No academic requirements, but no chance to get a varsity letter. As a sport, students are held to the same standard as all traditional athletes, for grades, behavior, etc.”

However, there are also some challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome in order to make Esports a reality at Weston Ranch. One of them is convincing some administrators that Esports is not just a waste of time, but rather a valuable opportunity for students to learn and grow. Ms. Hunter pointed out that there are many careers related to Esports, such as graphic design, software development, journalism, web design, IT, and more. She said, “We are preparing students for jobs that don’t even exist yet.” She also mentioned that NASEF (Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations) offers a CTE curriculum about Esports that covers various aspects of the industry.

If you are interested in learning more about Esports and its future at WRHS, you can follow the updates from Ms. Hunter and the team. There are also plans for Esports to be featured at the Spring CUE in Palm Springs in March 2023, where Ms. Hunter will be among the presenters. She expressed her gratitude for being able to represent Weston Ranch and NASEF/CIF in this endeavor. She said, “Having started the program here from the ground up, with the help and support of our staff, administrators, and IT department, my struggles, and lessons from them have turned into knowledge that can be shared with others just starting their programs.”